Reading FC Match Report: 2017/2018 Season - Championship

12 August 2017READING 1 FULHAM 1

Reading: L Kelly (61) Fulham: L Piazon (82)

Post Match Fans' Opinion

double d

» 12 Aug 2017 16:47

I wasn't there today but it sounded like a joke. Absolute utter drivel and stam should be ashamed and so should the team. 89 minutes against 10 men and no good chances until Kelly scored and then one of our former rejects scored a soft goal. Last year seems a long way away. Utter joke and everybody gets 1/10. Sack the board sack the team I say bring in loader and other youngsters . I predict we will be 19th this season utter rubbish and lol at anybody who pays to watch this rubbish.

alfie9

» 12 Aug 2017 16:52

The game plan was fine, we would've had three points in the bag if Van Den Berg didn't make a lazy pass

But I agree FOLD THE CLUB

Snowflake Royal

» 12 Aug 2017 17:02

From the second minute it was inevitable we'd score. Fulham had basically no chance. That should have been the most one sided comfortable 1-0 you'll ever see. And then Berg made one mistake and Gunter wasn't quick enough to react and save his blushes.

The performance wasn't perfect by any stretch, but the only criticism due is for a genuinely terrible ref.

A draw is probably a 'fair' result given that was the most unfair red I've ever seen. Obviously once it's red we should win. But sometimes shit happens and justice is done.

genome

» 12 Aug 2017 17:03

DD, I like you, but you really are an utter helmet sometimes

Za Vas

» 12 Aug 2017 17:05

Is double d a parody account or just a bit of a tool?

I wasn't at the game either as on holiday so won't rate the players or comment on the performance as, you know, I didn't actually see it

genome

» 12 Aug 2017 17:16

I will add that Fulham fans singing "Huddersfield" at the end of the match is the most tinpot thing I've ever seen

Esteban

» 12 Aug 2017 17:30

What was Blackett doing playing that pass in the first place? Some clown behind me blamed Gunter for it, but he had very little chance with it.

We played reasonably well, it was comfortable until we gifted them a goal. We could spend £10m on a striker, but we don't create enough chances. We need a central midfielder capable of driving us forward, more than we need a striker for me.

PieEater

» 12 Aug 2017 17:38

TBF after QPR away I wasn't expecting much, but after what to me seemed like a clear professional foul and justified red card we failed to take advantage of our extra man. I thought we were hoping they'd get tired after 80mins, but it's clear we need a striker.

Great goal from Kelly, putting it away in the corner after a lay back. Then we looked comfortable until our shambles defending gifted a goal to Fulham who until then never looked like scoring.

A quick moan about the F1 bus shambles, the club move the loading area then insist on waiting until the crowd clears before the bus goes. WTF, people had trains to catch, what is the point of encouraging bus transport if you're going to now hold the bus back 10-15mins until the crowd clears, and then the bus hits all the traffic. It's hardly likely to improve bus usage.

double d

» 12 Aug 2017 17:41

I have a post about this already put yours on mine mods please merge

double d

» 12 Aug 2017 17:42

Im not a paradox or a tool you are not a real fan I am so I can rate the players after listening to it. I listen to all the games and I am a real fan

NewCorkSeth

» 12 Aug 2017 17:43

Back from the stream. I made notes on the first half. Gave up in the second.
I'll start on our general performance.

We pressed very well. This might have been due to the red card as players would have felt more comfortable surging forward but despite our high pressing we won very few of the resulting balls. Often we would force the player off the ball and proceed to allow him enough time to salvage a pass. Our concentration in that regard was poor.

Similarly our passing at the back was confident which I assume is due to Fulhams bus being parked. We struggled to transfer this confidence to our passing at the front. It often fizzled out to nothing with our advanced mids guilty of dawdling on the ball. Our Wing Backs operated very high which, for the most part, worked well. They were often free for crossfield balls but Fulham defended as a unit and all our crosses were easily dealt with.

Corners and our (1?) free kick taking was pointless. We operated some weird tactic to all circle together just next to the penalty spot but the crosses never reached there. seemed odd and ineffective.

We fouled a lot.

Mannone - Did well. Claimed most of the shots with ease, cant really blame him for the 1 on 1, bad communication with McShane in the second half which resulted in him passing it straight out. Symptomatic of our overall low concentration. 6/10
Gunter - A typical Gunter performance. A mixed bag, good movement followed by poor positioning, great pass followed by terrible cross. Missed the slide tackle for their equaliser but would be harsh to blame him for that. 6/10
Ilori - Confident on the ball, marked well, fouled a lot, he really looks like he doesnt want to be a footballer. 6/10
Moore - Hes a solid footballer. He got forward well, passed well and I dont remember him putting a foot wrong. 7/10
McShane - Hard to judge like the other CBs as he didnt have much to do for most of it. Was solid. 6/10
Blackett - He somehow has both a great first touch and a crap first touch. He manages to look great on the ball at times and then suddenly awful. 6/10
Evans - Very quiet. For every good pass he had a bad pass. I understand the sub. 5/10
Kelly - Great goal. Poor corners. Guilty of a few wayward passes in the first half. 7/10
Swift - The definition or Reading style of play. Capable of so much more, played well at times but overall disappointing because we all know he should be doing better. Made a fantastic run in the first half which Blackett then wasted with his first touch. Both created some of our best chances and wasted some of our best chances. 6/10
Barrow - Was our best player. Only person trying to dribble the ball rather than persist with the pointless crossing. On that note, he is awful at crossing. He should turn good 7/10
Mendes - Suffered as a result of our play. Often his positioning was odd but I think that was the tactics more than anything. Players struggles to find him anywhere as he was surrounded by Fulhams bus. Got the assist. 7/10

Subs:
JVDB - His energy resulted in our goal with a few minutes. Was important in the build up and I dont think we would have scored without his introduction. Wasted all that goodwill on an idiotic pass. 4/10 (lucky to not be lower)
Clement - He came on as a LWB and didnt do much. N/A

blueroyals

» 12 Aug 2017 17:43

Wing backs provided the width needed to break Fulham down. Only trouble is that they can't cross.